PRESS
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Corkman
From left, Mark Leslie, Director Martello Media, collecting the award from Barry Sheehan, IDI President and Peter Whittaker, Martello Media.
BLACKROCK OBSERVATORY WINS SECOND MAJOR AWARD
By Bill Browne
THE Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork has scooped a second prestigious award for its stunning Cosmos at the Castle digital exhibition.
The observatory scooped the Best Digital Animation Award at the 2008 Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) awards ceremony, which celebrates the latest in cutting edge design within Irish industry.
In February of this year the interactive exhibition received global recognition when the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) awrded it a gong for 'Outstanding Achievement'. This was the first time in the association's history that the award was given to an exhibition outside of the US.
Developed by Martello Media and opened to the public in August 2007, the award-winning Cosmos at the Castle uses state of the art technology to open up the mysteries of outer space for visitors to the observatory at Blackrock Castle.
Using cinema sized high definition video screens the exhibition takes visitors on a tour of the cosmos, exploring the formation of the universe and how life developed on Earth.
It also has a ground breaking 'Pan Galactic email station' that allows people to send messages into deep space – even giving an estimate of how long the message will take to reach its chosen destination.
Young visitors to the exhibition can also play 'Comet Chaser' in Ireland's first ever interactive cinema, allowing them to virtually save the Earth from a rogue asteroid.
Cosmos at the Castle is a joint venture between Cork City Council and Cork Institute of Technology the two bodies behind the development of the observatory at Blackrock Castle which opened in 2006.
The castle now houses Ireland's foremost astronomical research facility and a team of scientists working on new technologies for searching for planets around distant stars.
Clair MacSweeney, facilities manager at the observatory, said the facility was thrilled at the latest accolade.
"It if proof that the exhibition is at the very cutting edge of space exploration technology, offering the public a new and fascinating insight into the universe."
The permanent exhibition is open to the public seven days a week.
For more information visit www.bco.ie.
- BILL BROWNE